20:00 Newcastle

Thursday 23 January 2020

All16:3017:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:00

Betway Casino Handicap

Off time: 20:00 | Winning time: 1m 1.16s

(4)

Jan Van Hoof¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 9-9| J: Barry McHugh| T: M Herrington| OR: 61| CD

5/1

Short-head C&D winner in February 2019 (also held his form on his next couple of starts); hasn't fired on all cylinders more recently but is becoming ever more attractively weighted by the race; does he still possess the desire at the age of nine?

Form: 76007-8

(7)

Montalvan⁹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: B A Curtis| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 59

7/1

Sole win (from 18 starts) came when making all in a 6f maiden handicap at Ripon (good) in July 2019; hardly the most enticing, but deserves another chance to prove himself on the AW (possibly resented the Southwell kickback); first run for 99 days.

Form: 477466-

(6)

Jeffrey Harris⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Phil Dennis| T: J S Goldie| OR: 58| CD

11/4

Won back-to-back races here in the autumn (5f-6f) - 2lb higher than when beating Burtonwood by ½L on the second occasion; slowly away on his last couple of starts; is thought more than capable of being in the mix against these opponents.

Form: 52115-4

(3)

Qaaraat¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 56| BF| CD

7/2

Served notice that he was working back to form with a respectable fourth (beaten 2L) to Polly Douglas at Wolverhampton (5f) a fortnight ago; was successful off this mark over C&D in November (beat Be Proud by a short-head); fair chance.

Form: 31278-4

(8)

Hello Girl^p⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁵⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 52| D

11/1

Well backed 6-4f when winning a 6f classified stakes at Lingfield (good to firm) in June; outpaced from the two furlong pole on her return to the track over C&D last week; needs to step forward markedly.

Form: 51655-7

(5)

Final Legacy⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: L Morris| T: D Shaw| OR: 45

13/2

Eight-race maiden; runner-up on two occasions on the Fibresand at Southwell (5f) already this year - was beaten ½L by the gambled upon Red Stripes last week; clearly going the right way at an admittedly low level.

Form: 4048-22

(9)

Hot Stuff^t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 8-7| J: Sean Davis⁽³⁾| T: P Downey| OR: 45| D

11/1

Hot only once in 30 starts, when winning a maiden over this trip for Tony Carroll at Lingfield (February 2017); third at odds of 100-1 on his penultimate start (Dundalk); unconvincing.

Form: 90/803-0

(10)

Mightaswellsmile⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-7| J: Harrison Shaw⁽³⁾| T: R E Barr| OR: 45| D

12/1

No smiles since her maiden win at Nottingham (5f, soft) in July 2016 and on that basis alone (1-35 career) can be given a wide berth; runner-up at Catterick (6f, good to soft) in August 2019.

Form: 590668-

(1)

Encoded¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 8-7| J: A Mullen| T: Miss L C Siddall| OR: 45| CD

20/1

Sole win (from 27 starts) came over C&D in January 2019 - beat the veteran Novabridge by a neck; poor towards the back end of 2019; finished on the tail of Qaaraat at Wolverhampton latest but isn't guaranteed to back up that effort.

Form: 00080-5

(11)

Marcella^b1¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 45

40/1

Nine-race maiden; well beaten on both starts since October 2018; needs the newly-applied blinkers to work a miracle; virtually impossible to consider as a realistic win or place contender; is readily overlooked.

Form: 3703/9-9

Non-Runners

(2)

Iron Ryan²

Weight: 9-3| Age: 8

T: C Moore J: Darragh Keenan

Forecasts

Jeffrey Harris (11/4), Qaaraat (7/2), Jan Van Hoof (5/1), Final Legacy (13/2), Montalvan (7/1), Hot Stuff (11/1), Hello Girl (11/1), Mightaswellsmile (12/1), Encoded (20/1), Iron Ryan (20/1), Marcella (40/1)

Final Legacy is progressing at an admittedly low level, and she saw off all bar the gambled upon Red Stripes at Southwell last week. Qaaraat served notice of a return to form at Wolverhampton latest (Encoded immediately behind) and we know from the not too distant past that he can do the business off this kind of handicap mark at Newcastle. However, we'll take our chance with Jim Goldie's colourful JEFFREY HARRIS who has more than enough ability to score if breaking from the stalls in a half proficient manner. Of the remainder, only the well handicapped Jan Van Hoof looks to be worthy of any serious thought or consideration.